Joy Ike

Singer/songwriter Joy Ike has found herself in the most unexpected of places – living and performing as a full-time touring musician. If you had asked her 5 years ago where she thought she’d be in 2010, her honest answer would have been, “Ummm…I dunno”. But the new decade has dealt Ike some interesting surprises…including being voted Pittsburgh City Paper’s Best Solo Artist for the second year in a row, opening for a number of national touring acts, a recent write-up on NPR's All Things Considered, and recording a new Album funded primarily by her fans.

Her fans have compared her vocally to Corinne Bailey Rae and Norah Jones, stylistically to Fiona Apple and Regina Spektor, and have said that her ambiance is much like that of India Aire and Lizz Wright. “Honestly”, she says, “I don’t really spend much time listening to any of the above.” She credits much of her musical influence to more modern acts including her two favorite female artists Sara Groves and Brooke Waggoner, and independent artists Aqualung, Death Cab for Cutie, and Sufjan Stevens. “I really just love soul music and I think soul music has less to do with how a song sounds and more to do with the emotion behind it. I think that’s why these artists mean so much to me.”

Currently based out of Pittsburgh, PA, Ike’s schedule includes an average of 130 dates a year, playing anything from house shows to college events to music and art festivals. She has had the privilege of working with notable organizations such as The Pittsburgh Public Theater, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, WYEP, The Carnegie International Museum, The August Wilson Center, and New York Faith & Justice.

Ike’s music has continually been noted for its lyrical depth- addressing the human condition, thoughts on love, and the search for God in a very tangible way. Her new full-length Album,
“Rumors”, is slated to release in May 2010.